Ball Games
by shadowjack12345
Summary: The Titans face something they are unprepared for: high society. BBRae as if you didn't already know.
1. Not So Bad

**Ball Games 1: Not So Bad**

**I don't own the Teen Titans or profit from this story or whatevs.**

**A little start to a little story that I had a little idea about. I have the broad strokes in my head but am fleshing it out as I go. This is likely to be more light-hearted than my usual fare so let's see how I do. Enjoy!**

Raven was not in a good mood. Her day had started much as any other: tea, meditation and reading - her preferred ways of spending her time. Then Robin had made an announcement. Apparently, in gratitude for their selfless acts as heroes in Jump City and indomitable courage blah blah yak yak - long story short, the City was throwing a lavish party for the Titans or at least in their name. As Robin explained more about the upcoming event, it was sounding more and more like a society shindig. The reason for that soon became clear: the party was also a fundraiser, to be attended by Jump City's rich and fabulous residents. A party for them and with charitable donations to boot? Robin would not turn such an invitation down and he clearly expected everyone to attend. They had been given an allowance (on top of their usual maintenance stipend) to prepare and outfit themselves for the occasion. Thus Raven, accompanied by Starfire in Jump City's famously expansive shopping mall, was not in a good mood. They were dress shopping. Though Raven thought the entire endeavour a waste of time, she had bodily dragged Starfire past her usual 'pink and shiny' clothing stores, looking for the more expensive and exclusive clothing stores. As they entered, Starfire eyed some of the price labels worriedly.

"Raven? I am not sure than even our generous allowances can afford these dresses," Starfire muttered.

"Don't worry, Star. I'll pay the difference," Raven declared, flatly. Starfire looked at her friend, surprised.

"You will? How?" she asked. At this, Raven graced her with a tiny smirk as they walked.

"I'm still raking it in from that gum endorsement in Tokyo," Raven revealed, eliciting a giggle from Starfire. Not even pausing to browse, Raven marched to the service desk, manned by three smart women, each looking business-like but exquisite. Raven quickly explained to them about the upcoming party, though they likely already knew about it. Raven finished with a rare show of feeling, a look of mild terror pursing her lips as she admitted her desperation. She looked around at the many dresses and gowns, shrugging at the three women before uttering two words: "Help us."

"Nnggg... Dude, how much longer do I have to stand like this?" Beast Boy wailed. He stood on a stool, holding his arms out by his sides while a tailor buzzed around him, taking measurements. To his left, Robin stood in a similar situation, sighing at Beast Boy's impatience.

"Until they're finished, Beast Boy. You told me you wanted to look good for this and these guys are the best tailors in Jump." Beast Boy pouted a little, then began imagining his suit.

"You think I could get some purple in there? I like purple!" Beast Boy said, picturing his uniform. Robin winced at the image of Beast Boy wearing a two-tone purple and black suit. Fortunately, Beast Boy's tailor nipped it in the bud.

"Perhaps a purple tie, sir. A black suit would be more... appropriate considering the setting." Beast Boy shrugged and nodded, much to Robin's relief. To Beast Boy's right. Cyborg stood while two men took his measurements. He felt a little ridiculous but if anyone could make him look presentable it was these guys. A little later, all measurements taken, the three heroes walked down the street.

"Dudes, this is gonna be sweet! A party in our honour? I'm gonna let loose!" Beast Boy said, raising his clenched fists to the sky to accentuate his words. Robin cleared his throat, causing the changeling to look back at him.

"Beast Boy... it's not really going to be that kind of party. Think less 'prom' and more..." Robin struggled for an example he would understand. "Remember when that serial kidnapper was targeting rich kids for ransom? We had to to stake out that ball?" Robin stared at the changeling, waiting for the penny to drop. Suddenly, Beast Boy's face twisted into a frustrated pout.

"What!? You mean... ballroom dancing and tiny food and bows and nods and manners?" Robin nodded. Beast Boy deflated a little but soon sported a wry grin. "Maybe I'll just get Raven to follow me to make sure I don't get into trouble," he laughed. As they walked, Cyborg nudged Robin and winked.

"Or maybe you just want Raven to follow you around, right BB?" The green changeling sighed and turned to his friend.

"Again with this, Cy? You're like one of those creepy boy band fans who draw pictures of them kissing each other. There's nothing there, dude, stop digging." Undeterred, Cyborg replied.

"Are you saying she isn't pretty, BB?" he asked, eliciting another, more frustrated sigh from his green friend.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm her friend but I'm not blind: she's real pretty. But there's nothing going on between us. Now give it a rest... _please!_" Beast Boy pleaded. He wasn't sure where Cyborg had picked up this idea of him and Raven together but he just wouldn't let go of the notion. He let it rest for now, though. The three friends soon forgot about the near-argument and ended up back at the Tower, meeting up with a jubilant Starfire and grumpy Raven on the way. Neither group was in the mood to discuss their trips (though Starfire kept quiet for the sake of surprising Robin rather than reluctance) and the team made small talk over a light lunch.

The following days were fairly normal for the Titans - normal for _them_ at least. Then, on the day of the ball, Robin dropped the proverbial bomb.

"Only a few hours left, Titans!" Robin laid his arm across Starfire's shoulders, squeezing her affectionately before facing the others, all sat on the couch. Raven was reading (surprise) and Beast Boy and Cyborg were watching some brainless action movie that even they had forgotten the name of. "So, when do your dates get here?" he asked, nonchalant. Cyborg replied without pause.

"I'm picking Sarah up at her place in-" he checked his internal clock. "An hour and a half. I suppose I better head to the tailors: they're gonna have to sew me in to this damn tuxedo." With that, the cybernetic hero rose with a sulk and shuffled through the door. Beast Boy and Raven, however, were both staring at their leader with wide eyes.

"What?" they said together, though Beast Boy's was decidedly more panicked. Robin smiled at them uncertainly.

"Your dates. You're supposed to bring a date. Didn't either of you read the memo I emailed to everyone?" Beast Boy growled in frustration.

"I'm not allowed a computer of my own, remember? Even though that thing with Cy's computer was, like, _years_ ago now..." the changeling muttered. Robin slapped his hand to his face. How could he have forgotten? Without much hope, he glanced at Raven expectantly. She stared back, blankly before asking:

"We get memos?" Robin groaned. He ran through increasingly desperate ideas in his head - turning up alone would be a serious social faux-pas (at least in his mind. In reality, the organisers had more important things on their mind). Then, it hit him.

"Wait! You don't need dates," he said. The pair breathed sighs of relief. "You can just go together!" Their breathing stopped mid-sigh as they faced each other. They both had the same immediate concern: that everyone would misconstrue their situation as romantic, though Beast Boy's concern was far more specific, a metallic fanboy called Cyborg. The concern gave way quickly as they both realised there was no other option. Beast Boy smirked defeatedly before kneeling on the floor, one hand on his chest, the other reaching out toward Raven.

"Oh Raven, would thou do me the honour of giving me the pleasure of granting me the privilege of accompanying you to tonight's rich dude hoe-down?" he said, dramatically. Robin huffed at the 'hoe-down' crack but Raven only folded her arms and raised an eye brow at the changeling. His eyes wandered for a moment as he thought what he had missed. "... as friends." he said, finally, his grin reappearing. Raven smirked and took his hand in a mock-professional manner.

"I accept your terms, Beast Boy. Assuming Robin's memo doesn't demand we declare our undying love for the sake of our social standing," Raven drawled, returning her critical gaze to Robin. Beast Boy stood and faced him as well.

"Sorry bro. Raven and me-"

"I" Raven interrupted. Beast Boy continued, barely acknowledging her.

"Raven and I just aren't ready to commit like that." Raven nodded solemnly while Robin frowned. They were making fun of him! He stalked out the door with a giggling Starfire followed. As soon as the door closed, Beast Boy burst into raucous laughter and even Raven smirked in amusement. After a momentary but comfortable silence, Beast Boy spoke again. "This isn't so bad. To tell you the truth, I was thinking about hanging out with you tonight anyway." Raven's head whipped around to stare at the changeling, a hint of nervousness in her otherwise placid expression.

"You were?" she asked, a spike of anxiety dropping into her stomach. Beast Boy hadn't looked her way, laying back and still staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah. I figured if anyone could keep me out of trouble tonight, it would be you," he chuckled. Raven's nerves settled and a gentle smile returned to her lips.

"You think so? Robin has the most experience with this sort of thing," Raven supplied. Beast Boy snorted derisively.

"Yeah but he'll be too busy writing poems in his head about how red Starfire's hair is," he said, only half-joking. Raven's smile widened a little.

"Good point. Speaking of points, I should make on of getting ready. I'll see you later, 'Prince Charming'." Beast Boy chuckled as Raven walked to the door.

"I think we're closer to 'Beauty and the Beast' than 'Cinderella', Rae. Catch you later, 'Belle'," he said, cheerily. He snickered over his accidental little joke (Belle of the ball) and told himself he would get ready in a few minutes, staring at the ceiling. Raven's smile remained as she walked to her room. She expected Starfire would join her soon so they could help each other get ready. Raven didn't really need the help but Starfire was adamant. She hadn't particularly been looking forward to tonight's party but, she had to admit, the promise of Beast Boy's company made it easier to bear.

A current of warmth flowed through her when her emotions pointed out he had called her 'Beauty', even if he hadn't meant to. And despite their 'date of convenience', his admission had pleased her: even if it was just as friends, a boy had wanted to accompany her to a dance. A new experience for Raven. She decided that things had worked out for the best after realising that, if she _had_ read Robin's memo, she would have been at a loss. As she opened her door, she turned to look back toward the common room where her friend presumably still sat. _Her friend_. Even now, she marvelled at how lucky she was to be able to call these remarkable people her friends. Still smiling, she thought out loud as she, astoundingly, agreed with Beast Boy.

"This isn't so bad, after all," she whispered before disappearing behind her door.

**And there it is, the first bit. I had originally thought I might make this a one-shot but it expanded as I went and, as my readers know, I like smaller chapters. Probably won't be too many though, I won't be having any superdramatic twists or anything (probably). Let me know what you think!**

**-Jack**


	2. Oom-pah-pah

**Ball Games 2 - Oom-pah-pah**

**Well, 10 reviews after that tiny chapter? I am humbled by your interest. I think I mentioned tuxedos on tumblr but that was my mistake, I see them wearing dress suits but tuxedos might be too far. On to the next bit!**

Beast Boy and Robin sat in the common room. Or rather, Beast Boy sat and Robin paced incessantly while they waited for their dates. The changeling was more amused than irritated, watching the unflappable leader working himself up over whatever Starfire was wearing. He idly wondered about Raven's dress choice but didn't wonder for long: if he was brutally honest, he didn't really care that much. He glanced down at himself again, strangely comfortable in the unfamiliar clothes. He wore a black dress suit and, the tailor having decided to include some colour after all, a purple waistcoat with a black shirt and matching purple tie. He liked it and had strutted for a while, admiring his reflection in the windows. Robin had begun to mutter to himself, unintelligibly. He sighed: the comedy value was wearing thin.

"Dude, just sit down. Pacing won't help her get here any sooner, Beast Boy explained. Robin glanced in his direction but otherwise ignored him, continuing his route. Beast Boy shook his head and then lay gazing at the ceiling. Despite his earlier misgivings, he though tonight might be a lot of fun, presuming he could stay on Raven's good side. He smirked at that. True, his humour had finally matured to the point where he could engage with Raven's wit but that didn't stop him from laughing at fart noises now and then. Suddenly, the pacing stopped and Beast Boy swore he heard Robin's jaw drop. Following his gaze, he saw Starfire and felt his own eyes widen at the alien princess. She wore a wine red, strapless dress that fit her athletic form very snugly. When she took a step towards Robin, a slit in the skirt from a little above her left knee was made evident. She wore matching heels and, in the back, the shimmering material pooled on the floor. Robin was grateful for his mask as he fought not to stare at her chest. The dress hit the perfect balance between elegance and, well... sexiness. At least to Robin's eyes. He managed to look at her face and grinned dopily at her: she wore only light make up and some intense red lipstick to match her dress. Robin finally found his voice.

"Star... you look _stunning_," he said simply. Starfire smiled gently and held her hand out for him to take.

"Thank you, Robin. You also look very dashing in your suit. And you as well, Beast Boy," Starfire said. Beast Boy grinned at the compliment: even if it was almost an afterthought, being told you looked dashing by a woman who looked like _that_ felt damn good. Then he heard the door open again and in walked Raven. Once again the young men were silent with wide eyes, Beast Boy wondering if there was any real danger of his eyebrows shooting from his face to the ceiling. Her dress was a deep, midnight blue - her favourite colour - and a little shorter than Star's. While the hem did reach the floor, there was no fabric trailing along behind her. The neckline was a little more conservative as well, not showing any cleavage at all but, as Raven fiddled with her clothes and purse and turned away for a moment, they all saw the straps come over her shoulders and only meet again below the middle of her back, leaving her skin exposed. Again, the skirt had a slit on the left, revealing the pale grey skin that somehow enhanced the blue colour of the dress. Her hair was styled a little differently with a side parting and her hair sweeping around her cheek on the right, all held in place by cunningly concealed clips. Starfire had succeeded in persuading the demoness to wear a little eye shadow but no other cosmetics had been approved. As he stared, Beast Boy decided she didn't need it. He had seen her legs almost every day but the skin on her back was similarly flawless and he found himself wondering if it was due to her heritage... and if all of her skin was so perfect. He quickly shook that thought away, though he had to admit it: Raven was _hot_! While she still fiddled with her purse, Beast Boy heard Robin emit a laughably false 'ahem'. Looking over, Beast Boy saw him gesturing toward Raven with his head. The penny dropped: Robin expected him to go all gooey like he had with Starfire. He shook his head but approached her, ready to pay her a compliment in a way he knew she would appreciate: self-deprecating.

"Hi, Rae. What do you think of the suit?" he said, holding his hands out to his sides. Raven, finished with whatever she had been doing, gave him a critical once over. She had already decided to be generous or civil at least but, seeing him now, she was able to be merely honest.

"You look very nice, Beast Boy," she remarked, sounding a little forced even if it was genuine. The green man grinned and stuffed his hands into his pockets, Robin glaring at the back of his head.

"I thought so... until I saw you, Rae. If we walk in together, I'm gonna look like a hobo next to you," he laughed. Raven smirked but enjoyed the warmth of the compliment. Mischief shone in her eyes.

"Are you saying you don't always get that reaction?" she teased. For once, Beast Boy didn't take the bait.

"I'm saying you should stop picking on me and take the damn compliment, Rae," he replied, still smiling and laughter in his voice. Raven's smirk blossomed into a small smile.

"Very well. Thank you, Beast Boy," Raven replied, turning back to the door, pausing for a moment to look at Beast again. "You do look nice, though."

"Thanks, Rae, you too. You look great," he replied easily. He offered his arm with a grin and Raven slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow as they both exited. Robin stared after them with an amused smile.

"I guess that means we're leaving. Ready Star?" he asked. The alien nodded and similarly clutched Robin's arm as they followed. When they reached the garage, the team discovered that Robin had acquired a second car for them to use while Cyborg collected Sarah in the T-Car. Beast Boy goggled at it.

"Is that-?" he attempted.

"Yyyyup," Robin confirmed, arms crossed smugly.

"A real one?" Beast Boy asked incredulously.

"Mm-hm," Robin assured him. The two young men stood and gazed at the sleek, black marvel before them.

"You got a loan of the _Batmobile_!?" Beast Boy questioned again, still in disbelief.

"_A_ Batmobile," Robin corrected. "Batman has more of these than you might think. This one was designed in case he had to transport VIPs or witnesses or something. Not surprisingly, no one has ever asked the Batman to shuttle VIPs so it was just gathering dust. There's more than enough room and I feel safer doing this myself instead of hiring a limo or something. Anyway, we should get going. Open." At Robin's command, the Batmobile doors opened. Considering it's original purpose, this car had doors in the side instead of the usual sliding canopy. As the doors slid back, Robin eased himself into the driver's seat and adjusted himself. Beast Boy sat in the front passenger seat, trying to look at everything at once. Robin warned him not to touch any buttons while their companions slid into the back seats. With the push of a button, the powerful engine roared to life, causing Robin and Beast Boy to grin. The lights flared and the car barreled down the tunnel to the mainland. The trip was largely uneventful, though the sight of a Batmobile obeying traffic lights caused a stir in the city and, unbeknownst to the occupants, the sight of the vehicle caused a would-be mugger to rethink his chances and return home for the night.

"Where exactly are we going, anyway?" Raven asked. Robin grumbled for a moment - that had been in the memo.

"The Jump Gardens Country Club. It's more like a small mansion, really." Raven shrugged at the information, not really caring either way. Soon enough, the black car pulled up at the entrance, attracting attention from other arriving guests. After the Titans disembarked, an uncertain looking valet walked up to Robin, hand outstretched to take the keys. Robin looked coolly at the man and, without looking away, issued a command. "Batmobile. Auto-drive, destination: Titans Tower." The Batmobile restarted and made its own way back to the Tower, much to the valet's amazement and secret relief. The Titans paired up again and walked to the entrance, seeing the doors were flanked by journalists and paparazzi. As they had feared, several fired questions at Beast Boy and Raven about their new 'relationship'. Beast Boy took the time to address them.

"Guys! Guys, we're just here as teammates so don't write the headlines yet!" More questions came flying but the heroes ignored them and walked into the country club. The interior was massive and almost impossibly ornate. Before the surrounding splendour made them uncomfortable, the Mayor was there with them, shaking hands enthusiastically and blithering on about the good work the TItans had done. Robin nodded and smiled politely in the face of the verbal onslaught but otherwise refrained from responding. Raven glanced around and spotted Cyborg in the distance, wearing a blue/grey three piece suit that covered his oversized frame. He was smiling down at Sarah, who smiled back and the seemed to my conversing rather intimately. Raven nudged Beast Boy with her elbow, tipping her head towards Cyborg.

"There's Cyborg. Shall we go and let him know we're here?" she said. Beast Boy peered at them and then shook his head.

"Nah, not yet. Looks like we might interrupt something. You hungry? We could check out whatever food they've got laid out." Raven thought and nodded, the pair leaving Robin and Starfire to the Mayor. Minutes later, they had plates with expensive but small foodstuffs and had found a relatively quiet corner to enjoy them. Raven reminded Beast Boy to exercise restraint, no matter how hungry he was and no matter how unsatisfying the food was. Raven popped one of the morsels into her mouth and closed her eyes.

"This food... is amazing," she sighed. Beast Boy nodded emphatically.

"I know! It's just a shame there isn't more of it," Beast Boy replied, chuckling. As Raven enjoyed her food, Beast Boy found himself glancing at her. The little sounds of contentment she made as she ate were strangely compelling and, even though he tried not to, he found himself glancing at Raven's bare arms, her violet hair, the black choker with a red gem to match her chakra - Hmmm... hadn't noticed that before now - and the way the dress accentuated her athletic figure. He shook himself and forced his gaze toward the dance floor, which was starting to fill up. He thought about joining in, though he only knew one suitable dance and the music wasn't right. Besides, he doubted Raven would be interested. Raven interrupted his mental wandering.

"You know... this isn't so bad," she said, quietly. Beast Boy smirked.

"The party or spending the night with me?" he asked. Raven smirked back.

"Careful. If one of those reporters overheard that they'll be writing about our torrid affair within the hour." Beast Boy laughed at that.

"Okay then, the party or being with me at the party?" he rephrased. Raven paused, looking artfully thoughtful, even tapping her chin.

"The party is nice. The company is..." she glanced sideways at him. "...tolerable," she said with another smirk.

"Tolerance is so hot... Raven, you aren't trying to seduce innocent, little me, are you?" Raven's smirk bloomed into a smile, accompanied by an amused chuckle. Beast Boy grinned at the rare event. So far, this had been a good night. The night passed and the pair saw that Robin was still firmly in the clutches of the Mayor, though Starfire's hand in his kept him pleasant. They also finally met up with Cyborg and Sarah, though they soon moved away again for more private conversation, though Cyborg's pointed looks at them made Beast Boy groan. Later, as the event was reaching its conclusion, Beast Boy suddenly lost interest in Raven's conversation. A little miffed, Raven prodded his ribs.

"See something more interesting out there, Beast Boy?" she asked, indicating the women still dancing. Beast Boy looked momentarily confused before it hit him.

"Huh? Oh! No, Rae, that isn't it. It's the music," he said.

"What about it?" Raven asked, a little less snappily.

"They're playing a waltz..." his eyes became unfocused, Raven tapping his shoulder to bring him back to awareness.

"Beast Boy?"

"Huh? Sorry, Rae..." he murmured.

"Why is a waltz important, Beast Boy?" Raven asked, sincerely. He gave her long, hard look.

"When I was a kid, I saw something on the TV, it doesn't matter what, but it had kids in it going to a school dance. I never really went to school, Rae. So when Rita -Elasti-girl - saw me, she taught me how to dance. She taught me the waltz and it's still the only real dance I know. She put on some music and let me dance with her all night... or until bedtime, anyway." Beast Boy shook his head with a grin that quickly collapsed into a wistful, sad expression. "I haven't thought about that for years," he said, still watching the dancers. Raven watched his face, sensing his sadness. And longing. Making her mind up, she took his plate, put it with hers on a nearby table and held out her hand.

"If you're willing to risk your toes, Beast Boy, would you like to dance?" Raven asked. He smiled gratefully and took her hand.

"Anything for you, Rae," he said, more of their playful flirting... though it felt heavier at the moment. He led her onto the floor, at the edge out of the way, and held her right hand in his left, put her left hand on his right shoulder and rested his right hand on her waist. She momentarily stiffened at the touch but quickly relaxed. As he explained, they both watched their feet, then he stepped back with his left foot, bringing his right foot to join it soon after. Raven had followed with her right, then her left and they had turned, anti-clockwise, while they moved. Soon, they were waltzing with everyone else, smiling at each other. When the music finally stopped, the pair found themselves strangely unwilling to release the other, separating with pink cheeks. Raven declared she was thirsty and returned to the refreshment table. Beast Boy made to join her when a large, metallic hand clamped down on his shoulder, turning him around to face a disturbingly jubilant Cyborg.

"Soooooooooooo... you guys are having fun?" Cyborg said. Beast Boy sighed in frustration.

"Come on, Cy, let it go already. We're just friends," he replied. Cyborg glanced over Beast Boy's shoulder.

"In that case, it won't bother you she's being hit on by some rich dude, then," he said. Beast Boy's head whipped around. True enough, Raven stood with a cup of water while a tall, blond, grinning young man leaned on the table, leaning towards her. Beast Boy couldn't say why but was immediately certain he disliked this person. He needed to get over there. Fortunately, Cyborg had been swept away by Sarah so he wouldn't have to explain his actions. He started marching toward Raven and the man before uncertainty slowed him. What was he doing? Acting jealous? He wasn't jealous! And even if he was, it wasn't his business who Raven talked with. His resolve blunted, he shuffled toward the far end of the refreshment table. He got himself a soft drink and sipped it, unwillingly glancing at Raven every few seconds. When he had finally managed to keep his eyes away, he was called very unexpectedly.

"Beast Boy!" Raven called, causing him to turn and see her waving her hand at him, encouraging him to join her. Unsure, he did just that, secretly enjoying the bemused look on the blond man's face. "This is Ryan," she said when he arrived. "Apparently, his family is paying for most of tonight's festivities." Beast Boy forced politeness and shook the man's hand. There was a little more small talk and, unfortunately, Ryan turned out to be a decent guy, if a little spoiled. Then it came: Ryan offered to take Raven out to dinner next weekend.

"It'll be fun, Raven. My family owns a lovely italian restaurant not far from here. It'd be nice to have a little more time in your company." Beast Boy made as if he'd seen something across the room but he really just wanted to look away. They were just friends... so why was he feeling so _abandoned_?

"No thank you, Ryan. It's a kind offer but... no. Thank you." With that, Raven shook Ryan's hand again and walked away, Beast Boy following her, mouth agape.

"Rae?" he said. Raven turned to face him, waiting for him to continue. "Why'd you shoot him down? He seems like a nice enough guy." He had no idea why he was trying to defend the guy all of a sudden but the question was there now.

"He doesn't know me," Raven answered simply. Beast Boy chuckled incredulously.

"He was trying to _get_ to know you, Rae," he responded.

"And when he did, he wouldn't be interested," Raven retorted. She spoke again before Beast Boy could interrupt. "I know why he was talking to me. I could sense exactly why he was interested..." A faint blush on Beast Boy's face showed he had understood what she meant.

"But... if you won't see anyone who doesn't know you but won't let anyone get to know you..." Beast Boy started, miserably.

"It's alright, Beast Boy. I've always known that anyone who knew the real me wouldn't want anything to do with me," Raven said, quieter than usual. Beast Boy was dumbfounded: where was _this_ coming from? The way she playfully countered his occasionally risqué banter made her seem so self-confident. His musings stopped when he realised she was still talking. "I mean, the only people who know me are the Titans. And - be honest, Beast Boy - would you date me? No you wo-"

"Yes."

"W-what?"

**Aaaaand this seems like an opportune, if slightly cruel place to stop. To those who got this far, I hope you weren't too bored by this chapter. I wanted to juxtapose the long, casual, enjoyable but dull evening with the very short moment at the end where everything gets turned upside-down. Let me know what you think!**

**-Jack**


	3. Whatever Happens

**Ball Games 3 - Whatever Happens**

**Okay then, straight into it! Let's see what Raven thinks of Beast Boy's admission.**

"Yes," Beast Boy said. Raven's sentence died in her throat and her eyes, wide and incredulous, focused on him like a laser.

"W-what?" she stammered. Beast Boy would have laughed but he could feel the energy in the air around them, see black energy crackle at her fingertips. He held his hands up in what he hoped was a non-threatening way, speaking calmly and quietly, even though he was everything but.

"Raven? Relax, okay? It isn't that big a deal. It doesn't have to mean anything if you don't want it to," he lied. About the first part anyway. It _was_ a big deal. Somehow, in the course of one party, he had gone from friend to jealous would-be boyfriend. And the worse part was, the more he thought over his one word answer, the more he knew he meant it.

"Not a big deal? You just admitted you have... feelings for me and-" Beast Boy made to interrupt her, to explain that 'feelings' might be too much at this stage. But Robin got there first.

"Beast Boy. Raven. We're heading home now," Robin said, turning and walking to the exit. Raven glanced once more at the changeling and moved to follow.

"Rae..." he tried. She kept walking. He caught up with her, making sure he appeared in her field of vision instead of grabbing her from behind. He gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She stopped dead and looked back at him with those same, incredulous eyes.

"Rae. Don't worry. There's no pressure, I'm not 'declaring my undying love' or getting down on one knee here. Okay? There's no expectation from me and no obligation for you," he said, noting her eyes becoming less uncertain. "It's just... damn, this is no good. Listen, we'll talk at home, okay? We need to go. We came here as friends... it only seems right we leave that way, too." With that, he offered his arm to her, an unsure smile on his lips. Raven glanced between his arm and his face. Deciding to trust her friend, she took the offered ed limb, watching his shaky smile shimmer and become real and strong. They left the building as they had arrived, if a little shaken. Raven remembered little about the drive home, though she remembered Beast Boy having the common sense to not sit next to her. As they got closer to home, she felt her control reasserting itself. Her conviction that she would always be alone, romantically speaking, had been a foundation of her world-view. Even if it was harsh, it shielded her from the phantom of rejection and freed her from expectation and disappointment.

And then Beast Boy had smashed it into rubble. Naturally, her world needed a little time to stabilise. She glanced at him, sitting in the seat in front of her. She recalled that, before the party, he had said she looked 'great' and she had detected no lie. With his newfound interest in her, that seemed to become far more significant. She had always believed that anyone who knew her would turn away. Her friends had disproven that many times but, somehow, she never allowed herself to believe someone might seek more than friendship with her. But he said 'yes'. And it was debatable if _anyone_ knew her better than Beast Boy. She realised they had arrived back home in the borrowed Batmobile, Cyborg having taken Sarah home in the T-Car. The four Titans rode in the elevator together and, thanks to Starfire's non-stop gushing about the party, she and Robin didn't notice Raven and Beast Boy's awkward silence. It was already getting late but Robin suggested they all change and wind down in front of the TV for a while. Robin and Starfire, now wearing comfortable civilian clothes, sat on the couch barely paying attention to the show, just being comfortable with each other. Beast Boy sat on a stool in the kitchen, watching the door for Raven and sipping his mug of hot chocolate.

Finally, when he had almost given up hope, she arrived. She wore a simple t-shirt and grey sweats but, to his own amusement, Beast Boy still found her radiant. Whether she sensed some part of his admiration or just caught him staring, Raven blushed, hesitated and then walked to the kitchen herself, immediately starting to prepare a signature cup of tea. Beast Boy wasn't sure what this signified. True, she did often drink tea when she was stressed. And when she was relaxed. And all of the time, really. He admitted to himself he was looking for significance in insignificant gestures and returned his gaze to her, finding her already looking back. It wasn't a look of anger or exasperation (he knew those looks all too well) and it wasn't her look of subtle enjoyment he saw sometimes. She appeared to be studying him, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. He sipped his drink, his eyes never leaving hers. Soon, after Raven held her own steaming beverage, Robin and Starfire left for bed. They remained silent for a few minutes longer until Beast Boy took the plunge.

"You wanna talk?" he said.

"Not especially," Raven said. "But I suppose we must." Beast Boy chuckled nervously.

"Okay. I'm gonna try and lay it all out. This might be vaguely humiliating, Rae so try not to stop me too much okay?" he asked. Raven nodded.

"Agreed," she said, quietly. Beast Boy took a moment to prepare himself and started to speak.

"Okay. I'll start with a simple truth. Please don't hate me for saying it. You're hot, Rae." Raven's eyes flew open. Beast Boy grimaced: he'd chosen his words poorly. "Sorry! What I mean to say is... we've been friends for a long time. And that entire time, I've been aware of how... pretty you are," Beast Boy said. Raven's incredulity lessened, even if Beast Boy thought the word didn't quite do her justice. "And that was it. You were my friend and you were real pretty. Just so we're clear and despite what Cyborg says, there were no secret longings or unrequited feelings or anything like that," Beast Boy stated, categorically.

"Cyborg?" Raven queried. Beast Boy blew out a frustrated sigh.

"I'll tell you later. Anyway... so tonight. You come in here wearing that dress and, even though I've always known, when I saw you in that, part of my brain shut down and said nothing but 'WOW' for a full minute." Raven's cheeks flushed a little at that. "Even then, you were just my friend Raven who was also a beautiful woman. Then, at the party... even though I set those reporters straight, they looked at us like we were together. Some of the people inside did, too. I know we didn't talk to too many people after we lost Rob and Star but, we were socializing. Together, not separately. And I liked how it felt. Like I was part of something. Don't get mad, Rae, but... I couldn't keep my eyes off you tonight. Like I had bad eyes all my life and I finally got glasses: everything was more or less the same, just clearer. I already said I knew you were pretty but now I could see it. _Feel_ it." Beast Boy sook a break and drained what was left of his hot chocolate. Raven tore her gaze from him and sipped her tea, cheeks glowing. Still feeling a little unsatisfied by the picture food, Beast Boy stood and made for the fridge. "You want anything, Rae?" he asked.

"No, thank you," she replied. He shrugged and leaned into the fridge. Raven took the chance to think. Dating? She had never given it much thought outside of idle daydreaming once or twice. Dating Beast Boy? Even though their old bickering had given way to mutual enjoyment, the idea seemed ludicrous. Her eyes wandered over to the changeling, still rummaging around in the fridge, and examined him in a way Raven had rarely permitted before (*cough* Aqualad! *cough*). He certainly seemed to be in good physical condition, wiry but strong. She watched the muscles move under the skin on his arms and found herself fascinated. She noted his t-shirt riding up a little, exposing a strip of green flesh. Her eyes settled on his backside and were suddenly and forcibly aimed at her tea cup while colour rushed to Raven's cheeks. It was too late. She had checked it out and, to her slight horror, a new voice appeared in her head.

'Ooooh... the Beastly Boy has a fine rump, eh Raven?' the voice said.

'L-love?' Raven thought back, nervously and perhaps a little naively.

'Not quite, sweetie. I represent your more... physical interests. I guess you could call me Lust. And you checking out the Beast Butt woke me up _at last_!'

'But I don't l-lust after Beast Boy! Or anyone!' Raven thought, a little fire creeping into her "voice".

'Like I said, Raven, I represent physical attraction on any level. You can realise that someone, like Beast Boy, is attractive without going mad with desire.' Raven conceded: the emotion spoke wisely. This left her with a larger realisation - on some level, she had admitted that Beast Boy was attractive. She had no idea where to go from there. Beast Boy had returned with half a sandwich which quickly vanished into his mouth.

"So, where were we?... Okay, so I had my little epiphany. Then came the dance. It felt good, Rae. It felt good in a way I can't really describe. It was like excitement and peace at the same time and, if I'm honest, I had to try real hard to let go of you afterward." Raven blushed again: she had enjoyed the closeness without really understanding why. "Then came whatsisname: Roger? Liam?"

"Ryan," Raven supplied. Beast nodded gratefully.

"Ryan, right. Anyway, he was there and I was _so_ jealous, Rae. I know it seems nuts but I just wanted to sock 'im and drag you away. Amazingly, my common sense showed up and told me it wasn't my business who you spoke to. But I was scared. Scared he'd take you away from me. Crazy, I know but that's how I felt. You pretty much know the rest." Raven nodded. "Thing is," Beast Boy started again. "I've had a little time to think since then."

"You've changed your mind?" Raven asked, feeling unexpectedly hollow. Beast Boy waved his hands in panic.

"What? NO! No, Raven,no. I haven't changed my mind. It's just, this all came from out of nowhere for me too, so a little reflection seemed a good idea. I was thinking that tonight was kinda like a date. Or as close as either of us is gonna get to a prom. Anyway, after tonight's "date", I know now that I want more. Of that. Of _you_." Raven blushed yet again, unused to being the object of someone's attention like this. "Soooo... no pressure, Rae but do I have a shot?" Beast Boy asked. Raven froze, locked in the proverbial spotlight.

"I-I...I don't know, Beast Boy. This is all so new and confusing... I propose an experiment." Beast Boy raised his eyebrows, encouraging her to continue. "We spend more time in each other's company and I... I will try to keep an open mind," she finished. Beast Boy was grinning. She hadn't rejected him outright! He was being given a chance! He resisted the urge to do a victory dance while Raven smiled a little at the torrent of emotion spilling from the green hero. Beast Boy took his and Raven's dishes and placed them in the sink before they both stood and walked toward the door. They stopped outside Raven's room on the way.

"Goodnight, Rae," Beast Boy said tenderly, starting to move away. Raven's voice stopped him.

"Beast Boy?" she whispered. When he turned to face her, she hesitated briefly before stepping into his space and carefully wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a timid embrace. "Whatever happens," Raven continued, whispering into his ear. "Thank you... for what you said about me." Beast Boy cautiously returned the embrace, enjoying the sensation of her breath on his skin more than he dared to admit.

"You're welcome, Rae. Just ask any time and I'll come tell you how pretty you are," Beast Boy replied, jokingly. Raven released him and stood back, smirking at him.

"Don't waste what little charm you have now, Casanova. Save it for when you _really_ need it." With those words, Raven walked into her room and closed the door. Beast Boy walked to his own room, still amazed: he was (kinda) dating Raven. As he prepared for bed, two thoughts dominated his mind. One: he hoped things continued to go this well.

Two: Cyborg was going to be _impossible_ to live with when he found out.

**Aaaand there we have it, the next little chapter. Apparently, I've decided to keep this one going for a spell. Why don't I ever tell myself these things? Anyhoo, enjoy and let me know what you think :)**

**-Jack**


	4. Connection

**Ball Games 4 - Connection**

**Sorry for the delay, I've had a rather busy time of the last few weeks. Let's get this story going again!**

Beast Boy was up early. _Very_ early. His excitement made sleep elusive and caused him to wake up after a relatively short time. And so, Raven walked into the usually empty common room and stopped dead, spying Beast Boy in the kitchen, humming while he cooked his breakfast. Her scent reached him and he just about managed not to knock everything over in anxious anticipation. He glanced over his shoulder and cast a nervous smile her way.

"Morning, Rae!" he said. Raven continued to stare, though her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Hmmm... morning. You're up awfully early," she inquired. He shrugged his shoulders, concentrating once again on what he was doing.

"Couldn't sleep," he said simply. "I was kinda annoyed at first but... then I got thinking this might be a good opportunity." Raven had moved closer, aiming for her tea,

"Opportunity for what?" Raven replied, causing Beast Boy to jump at her proximity.

"Well... we talked about spending time together, right? I thought it might be more... _educational_ if the others weren't around for some of it," Beast Boy stated. Raven, now boiling her kettle, gave him another suspicious, almost defensive look.

"And just what is it you think will happen when we're alone?" she said. Beast Boy shuddered under the weight of her cold accusation.

"Whoa, Rae, nothing like that. It's just.. this is gonna be hard and it's only gonna be harder with Cyb-... the team watching us." Raven raised an eyebrow at the slip but let it go for now, returning to her tea. Once she had finished, she took her seat at the table. Not long after, Beast Boy joined her with his breakfast: a plate of waffles. With a wink, he deposited another plate in front of Raven.

"I didn't ask for anything," she said. Beast Boy swallowed his mouthful of waffle.

"I know," he replied, evasively.

"I hope you realise this won't earn you anything," Raven said, pointedly. He only nodded, grinning when she started eating. After a time, Raven noticed his eyes were on her. She stopped eating and faced him. "What?" she said. Beast Boy's eyes widened for a moment and he suddenly became very interested in his breakfast.

"N-Nothin', Rae!" he stammered. Raven set her fork down and gazed patiently at him.

"Beast Boy. I know it is difficult but, if we are to do this, I need you to be honest. I can't interpret your emotions and it gets very confusing like this. I need your honesty... to help me understand." He stared back for a few moments, then set his own fork down.

"Okay... I guess I've become much more... fascinated. By your mouth." He blushed heavily as he said it, and Raven tipped her head to one side.

"My _mouth_? Why?" she asked. He looked at her desperately, not wanting to explain further. But he soldiered on.

"I'm... I'm curious about how - phew, it's gettin' warm in here - how it feels, Rae," he finished lamely.

"You want to... touch my mouth?" Beast Boy groaned.

"I want to kiss you!" he snapped, slapping his hand across his mouth afterwards. Raven goggled at him.

"Oh..." she said. Then she looked toward the door. The _open_ door. "Oh!" she exclaimed again, more urgently this time. In the doorway stood Cyborg, an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. Without speaking, he walked slowly toward Beast Boy. When he reached him, he turned Beast Boy's chair to face him, then put his hands under his arms and lifted him up, almost gently, so they were face to face. Just as Beast Boy was beginning to squirm, Cyborg spoke in a long, drawn out whisper:

"_I always knewwwwwwww..._" Beast Boy whimpered and squirmed more vigourously while his friend continued to stare. Raven found herself leaning away from the display.

"Dude!" Beast Boy whined. "Put me down! You're being _soooo weeiird!_" Cyborg shook himself a little and with a disturbingly paternal smile, plopped Beast Boy back down in his chair, then backing away toward the door.

"Don't mind me, you two. I'll give you some... privacy!" As he spoke the last word, Cyborg's eyebrows waggled up and down. He disappeared into the corridor, though thy could both see him peering in around the door frame. Beast Boy stared at Raven with pleading eyes. She nodded at him, still wide eyed and summoned her power, transporting them instantly to the roof. After they arrived, Beast Boy sat down with his head in his hands.

"Oh, dude. that was so weird. I'm sorry, Rae I hope you... weren't... freaked?" Beast Boy had turned mid-sentence to Raven, his apology turning to a question as he saw her shaking, one hand on her stomach and the other over her mouth. She quickly gave up the fight and started laughing. Loudly. She had said she'd keep an open mind and apparently, this left her emotions more easily accessible. In this case, Happy had been whispering into Raven's subconscious, finding the humour in Cyborg's unhealthy obsession.

"He's- he's so _weird_!" Raven exclaimed between giggles. Beast Boy finally found his smile again.

"Yeah... yeah, he is," he responded, wondering at her laughter. Just one more thing about her that he found very... intriguing. Shortly, Raven noticed Beast Boy's silence and found him staring at her, a dreamy smile on his face. His previous outburst echoed in her mind and she tamed her laughter, blushing at his scrutiny. Happy and Lust celebrated loudly at his attention. She cleared her throat.

"Ahem. So... what now?" she asked. That snapped Beast Boy out of his trance and he pondered while tapping his chin.

"Hmmm. I dunno. What do you usually do this time of the morning?" he responded. Raven bit back her retort that he would know if he ever woke up in the mornings.

"I usually read... but I don't think I want to go back in there just yet," she admitted. Beast Boy nodded.

"Yeah, me neither. Tell you what: why don't we both pick a place and we'll go to both. Spend time in each others' comfort zone or something," Beast Boy suggested. Raven nodded with a look of surprised approval: that actually sounded like a good idea. Until she reminded herself his comfort zone likely involved video games or some other equally noisy and pointless activity. Deciding she would rather get it over with, she indicated he should go first, he thought again, smiled and took to the air as an eagle. Raven followed, dreading their destination. To Raven's immense surprise (and relief) they landed not at an arcade but in front of the Jump City Museum.

"This is unexpected," she said.

"They're showing a collection of classic sci-fi movie memorabilia." Raven's heart sank. Of course they were. Beast Boy continued: "But I thought we could check out a few other exhibits while we were here. They've got a section for mystic artifacts, though they're mostly replicas. I think they might actually have a couple of genuine items on loan from Doctor Fate at the moment, though." Raven was surprised again. And a little suspicious.

"You seem to know a lot about it," she said. Beast Boy had the decency to look sheepish and admit he was caught.

"I might have checked around for, y'know... suitable date ideas and stuff." Raven kept her cool gaze on him for a few moments more, then smirked and walked to the entrance. They did indeed visit the movie exhibit first and Raven wasn't completely bored by it. The props were all from older, black and white movies and she could feel Beast Boy's excitement as he explained each item's significance. His passion was refreshing and she felt her emotions luxuriating in it. Not long after, they entered the mystic artifacts section. Beast Boy had been right, almost everything on display was a mundane replica, though Raven could feel the tug of genuine magic. Following it, there was a display of one of Doctor Fate's temporary donations. Several groups of people were in the room to observe as the attendant addressed them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, here we have the Orb of Connection. At least, that's what we call it as Doctor Fate wouldn't tell us its true name. Anyway, it's fairly harmless: it shows us the connections we have to others. Like so..." The nameless attendant approached the Orb and her fingers gently rotated a discreet control. The lights were dimmed and several people exclaimed as wispy ribbons of blue light connected them together. Beast Boy noted that he and Raven were free of the ribbons.

"I wonder what the blue light means," Beast Boy muttered. Before Raven could answer, the attendant spoke again.

"The blue light means family: blood relations in this case," she said, eliciting some 'ooh's and 'aah's from the crowd. She adjusted the control again and the blue ribbons vanished, replaced by a different pattern of white lights. "The white lights signify friendship," the attendant said. Beast Boy grinned. Across the short distance between him and Raven, there was a solid white ribbon, easily the brightest in the room. Raven smiled gently at it... and at Beast Boy.

"Awww, Raven: you do care!" Beast Boy laughed. Raven shook her head.

"My secret is exposed. Don't tell too many people, I have a reputation to consider," she replied. Before Beast Boy could respond, the attendant adjusted the mystical contraption again. The white light vanished to be replaced by yet another pattern of red.

"The red light denotes attraction, lust or even love. Going both ways, of course: we wouldn't want to embarrass anyone!" she said, humour in her voice. A scream was heard on the far side of the room. Raven and Beast Boy ran to the sound only to find a man being slapped and berated by someone they assumed was his girlfriend, given the strong red ribbon between them. The reason was obvious: a second ribbon extended between him and another girl who, judging by their similar looks, was the girlfriend's sister. Beast Boy chuckled a little to relieve his battle-ready state and turned to face Raven. She, however, did not look back but instead stared at the space between them. There, faint and gossamer-thin, was a red connection between Beast Boy and herself. They both stared now, slack-jawed and incredulous. There it was. There was something between them. Their gazes found each other, still amazed. The attendant was speaking again, the red light vanishing again. They didn't notice. Finally, Beast Boy's mouth curved into a smile, slowly reciprocated by Raven.

"Hey," he said, softly.

"Hey, yourself," she replied. Stiffly, she raised her hand and held it out to him. Nervously, Beast Boy reached out and took it. Marvelling at the warmth, Raven began to walk to the museum exit and Beast Boy walked with her, never taking his eyes from her. Raven kept walking after they had left, glancing at their joined hands. Her heart raced and her face felt hot, her emotions were noisy in her head but she ignored it all and just kept walking.

She had no idea where they were going... but she found herself anxious to find out.

**And there you have it! Not sure about the end of this chapter, might have to mess with it but it gets the point across and I've made people wait long enough. Enjoy!**

**-Jack**


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